ABC Dog of the Year Awards

Chair: Linda McCartney

email: triumph826@gmail.com

The ABC National Dog of the Year (DOY) Awards recognize outstanding Brittanys across multiple disciplines each year. Awards are based on accomplishments from January 1 – December 31. The program began in 2014 and continues to celebrate excellence in the breed.

Committee

The DOY Committee consists of:

  • A Chair

  • Members with expertise in each DOY category: field, show, obedience, agility, juniors, NSTRA, and NAVHDA

Eligibility Rules

  • Membership requirement: All owners must be current full or associate members of the American Brittany Club (ABC) by March 1st of the award year.

    • Associate memberships are limited to individuals in the same household as a full member.

    • Associate members do not have voting privileges.

  • New owners: If a dog changes ownership during the year, the new owner has 30 days to join ABC. The previous owner(s) must also have met the membership requirements for eligibility.

 

  • Lapsed memberships: If an owner’s membership lapses, there is a 30-day grace period to renew. If not renewed, the dog will be removed from the eligibility list.

    • Example: Membership expires June 1 → must renew by July 1.

  • No eligible dogs: If no qualified dogs are in a category, no award will be given for that year.

Award Process

  • Results are tabulated using AKC Top Dog year-end reports or specific rules defined for each category.

  • The program will be evaluated in 2026 to determine updates for 2027.

Award Presentation

  • Awards are presented at an ABC national event (Summer Specialty, Gun Dog Nationals, National Specialty, or All-Age Nationals).

  • All winning owners receive a certificate.

  • Each dog receives one trophy (per dog, not per co-owner).

  • Co-owners may purchase duplicate trophies through the DOY Committee.

DOY awards will be awarded in the following categories based on the following rules:

Juvenile Dog of the Year
Based on dogs defeated in Puppy & Derby stakes at any AKC Field Trial. Dogs defeated points from AKC trials hosted by clubs other than regional Brittany Clubs must be sent into the DOY committee with an attached copy of AKC win record report. In the case of a tie, the dog with the most 1st place wins will be awarded DOY. If a tie still exists then multiple awards will be presented.

NSTRA Dog of the Year
Award is based on the NSTRA Top Performance rankings DOY will be awarded to the Top Brittany in these rankings.

NAVDHA Dog of the Year
Will be Awarded to the Brittany which received the highest NAVDHA test level title. In the case of tie or multiple titled dogs the dog with highest points earned at the test level will be awarded. if a tie still exists multiple dogs will be awarded. Eligible titles are as follows:

Eligible titles:

NATURAL ABILITY – NA Prize I, II, III

UTILITY- UT Prize I, II, III

VERSATILE CHAMPION- VC

DOY awards will be awarded in the following categories based on the following rules:


Show Dog of the Year
Award is based on the Year End AKC Top Dogs Report for Brittany breed rankings. The dog with the most dogs defeated will be awarded DOY. In the case of a tie, a dog with the most Best in Specialty wins at ABC Regional Club Specialties will be awarded DOY.

Owner Handler Series Dog of the Year
Based on AKC owner handler series rankings. In the case of a tie, the dogs with the most Owner Handler Best of Breed wins will be awarded DOY.

DOY awards will be awarded in the following categories where AKC titles are awarded and AKC Top Dog Rankings Reports are tabulated based on the following rules.

Obedience Dog of the Year
Award is based on the top ranked Brittany Obedience Dog in the Year End AKC Top Obedience Dog Report 

MACH Agility Dog of the Year 

Awarded to the top ranked MACH Brittany in the Year End AKC Top Dog MACH agility dogs report. 

PACH Agility Dog of the Year  
Awarded to the Top Ranked Brittany in PACH based on the Year End AKC Top Dog PACH agility dogs report.

Rally Dog of the Year 
Awarded to the top ranked Brittany in RALLY in the Year End AKC Top Dog RALLY obedience dogs report.

Barn Hunt Dog of the Year
Awarded to the top ranked Brittany in BARN HUNT in the Year End AKC Top Dog BARN HUNT scent work dogs report. 

Dock Diving Dog of the Year
Awarded to the top ranked Brittany based on the Year End AKC Top Dog Report for Dock Diving. 

In the case of a tie, multiple dogs will be awarded. 

There will be a Junior Handler award in both the field and the show categories. To be eligible, the Junior or one of their parents/guardians must be a full member of the American Brittany Club. For all the events the junior be compete with a Brittany that is owned or co-owned by the Junior Handler or a member of the Junior Handler’s family who is a member in good standing of the ABC (father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, grandfather, grandmother, including step and half relations). For all Junior Awards, in the case of a tie multiple awards will be presented.

Show Junior Handler
This award is based on the Year End AKC Junior Top Handler Report for Brittany Junior handlers. In the event of a tie multiple handlers will be awarded.


Field Junior Handler

The Field junior will get 5 points for every event in which they participate per dog. This includes AKC Field Trials, Hunt Tests, NVDHA, and NSTRA.  A form must be signed by judges or event secretary indicating their participation in the event and the name of the dog they competed with. The Junior must compete in at least 4 events during the calendar year to be eligible for this award. 

Performance Junior Handler

The Performance Junior will get 5 points for every event in which they participate per dog. This includes all AKC performance events that Brittanys are eligible to compete in (obedience, rally, agility, fly-ball, barn hunt, etc.).  A form must be signed by judge(s) or event secretary indicating their participation in the event and the name of the dog they competed with. The Junior must compete in at least 4 events during the calendar year to be eligible for this award.

Special Acknowledgements of ABC Members at DOY ceremony (listed in ABC media DOY acknowledgements): 

  • Dual Champions 
  • UD, UDX, OGM, & OTCH 
  • Obedience High in Trials & High Combined 
  • MACH 
  • PACH 
  • RAE 
  • MH MHA MHX
  • NAVDHA Versatile Champion 
  • AKC Best in Show Winners
  • Owner Handler Series Best in Shows 
  • Best Junior Wins 
  • Wins at AKC Pointing Breed Championship

Congratulations to all from the ABC Dog of the Year Committee!

Linda McCartney, Cindy Miller, Jon St Clair, Helen Riggle, Karen Hanson, Robin Tomasi

Dog of the Year Awards

YearAwardAward CategoryAward WinnerOwner
2024Dog of the YearJuvenile Crosscreek Double Oak DallasBarbara & Wayne Pepin
2024Dog of the YearNSTRABluegrass Big NewsClay Little
2024Dog of the YearNAVHDAGCH Lockridge-Mayjay's For The Love of The Game MH UT1John Swider
2024Dog of the YearShowGCHP Trio Hope's Legendary Lawman RE TKNSam, Louise, Jim Griffin & Karen Livingston
2024Dog of the YearOwner Handler SeriesGCHS Crosscreek's Vibrant Festival Prince Frederich BN RI BCAT CGCA CGCU TKIAbigail Engler
2024Dog of the YearMACHGCHB CH MACH9 Star Flight Madhouse On Madison SH MXS3 MJG3Halina Jones & William Jones
2024Dog of the YearPACHAGCH MACH1 Just Another Britt In The Wall RM6 RAE3 RC3 MXG3 PAD MJS4 MXP11 MXPC MJP11 MJPC PJDP PAX4 MXF MFPG TQXP T2B2 T2BP3 SWE SEME SCEE SBEE SHDAJan Brummer
2024Dog of the YearRallyCH RACH Goldstar's The Sky's The Limit UD RM3 RAE2 JHRosemary Croop
2024Dog of the YearObedienceOTCH3 Wild Mtns Runaway UDX4 OM7Greg Harminter & Anise Marron
2024Dog of the YearBarn HuntGold Star Orange Express CA DCAT RATCHX4 REMX2 CX8G FDGCH40K IRON DOGJessica Sielewa
2024Dog of the YearFast CATSalem Valley Meadows Copper JH BCATKenneth Davis
2024Dog of the YearDock DivingSovereign's Fetching Finnegan DEX DMX2John & Leann VanAllen
2024Jr. Handler of the YearShowAbigail Engler
2024Jr. Handler of the YearField
2024Special RecognitionTop Dog Grand Ch PtsGCHG Trio Hopes Young Scrappy & HungryKaren & Clint Livingston
2024Special RecognitionBest In Show WinnerGCHP Trio Hopes Legendary LawmanL, J & S Griffin & Karen & Clint Livingston
2024Special RecognitionBest In Show WinnerGCHG Brigadier Shamrock Shoot for the StarsM & J Lee, D VanHoeve & B Rosener
2024Special RecognitionBest In Show WinnerGCHS Dream Hi-Millette Instant Replay by RelytK Rickard & T Crady
2024Special RecognitionBest In Show WinnerGCHS DC RAFC AFC Wingra's Indy-Go!Craig & Patty Johnston & Emmy Wollenburg
2024Special RecognitionOwner Handler Best In Show WinnerGCHS Crosscreek's Vibrant Festival Prince Frederich BN RI BCAT CGCA CGCU TKIAbigail Engler
2024Special RecognitionOwner Handler Best In Show WinnerGCHS Fyrbyrd Leave A Message JH CGC TKNSara Taylor, Kellie Miller & Roxanne Bashor
2024Special RecognitionOwner Handler Best In Show WinnerGCHS Black Rivers I Can Have It AllRebecca Hulstein & Shane Hulstein
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC AFC Kala's Thunder and Lightning of Shortbarrels MHThom Christnagel & Kassandra Hamaker
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC AFC PK's Whose Counting?Patti Van De Coevering D.V.M.
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC RFC Sovereign Legendary PowerDouglas & Christine Ziegler, Joe & Dawn Droel
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC Stellar Fifty OnePetra & Barry Steinmetz
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC K Nine's Been Let LooseLinda McDonald
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC Warbonnet & Campbell's Skye's the Limit MY BCATBen & Jacqui Campbell
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC RFC Sovereign's Top ShelfJeff & Evelyn Hickman, Joe & Dawn Droel
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC Sovereign's Mind Your Own BiscuitsStephanie & Christophen Meyer, Joe &Dawn Droel
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC AFC Alar's Patch Of Blue SkySandra Sargent & Jessica Carlson & Stephen Tubach
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC Starlight's Mercury on All CylindersBob Mason & Teresa Richmond
2024Special RecognitionDual ChampionDC Mich's Mtn Here Comes the Sun Will SHDonald Jr. & Annette Pfister